Italian cruise ship returns to Ha Long with over 3,000 Hong Kong tourists

Costa Serena, the five-star Italian-flagged cruise ship, has arrived in Vietnam’s northern province of Quang Ninh, bringing 3,040 Hong Kong tourists to the home of the UNESCO-listed Ha Long Bay.

This marks the second time in 2024 that the cruise ship has sailed from Hong Kong to Ha Long and vice versa, following the September 30 visit.

During their stay in Ha Long town, the Hong Kong visitors will tour Ha Long Bay, the Quang Ninh museum, and some other well-known tourist attractions, as well as take a city tour to experience local culture and cuisine.

According to the provincial Department of Tourism, Quang Ninh has welcomed 42 international cruise ships carrying more than 50,000 tourists so far this year.

By the end of the year, the province is expected to welcome 13 more cruise ships with a total of more than 15,000 visitors. The Costa Serena cruise is scheduled to return to Ha Long three more times on the Hong Kong-Ha Long route and vice versa.

Norwegian-flagged cruise ship Viking Orion is projected to bring over 1,000 European visitors to Ha Long on October 21, contributing to Quang Ninh’s efforts to meet its 2024 goal of three million overseas tourist arrivals despite the impact of typhoon Yagi last month.

During the first nine months of 2024, China sent 2.7 million tourists to Vietnam, becoming the second-largest source of travelers to the Southeast Asian country, behind South Korea, according to the National Authority of Tourism.